Posts from Jams & Preserved Foods

Over the last few years, we’ve been taught to believe that the very best tomato is an heirloom tomato. And while many of those gorgeous, homely heirlooms are definitely best for salads, sandwiches, and no-cook pasta sauces, they are actually not the best choice when it comes to canning. The reason has everything to do with water.

While I'll never turn down good ol' cucumber pickles, there are so many other tasty summer fruits and vegetables out there begging to be covered with a sweet-tart brine. It's time to give squash, peaches, and even okra a star turn in a mason jar — here are ten fruits and vegetables you should pickle this summer!

Kombucha and ginger are a dynamic duo of superhero proportions. Kombucha is delightfully tart and fizzy; ginger brings a warm and spicy side-kick punch.

I've been brewing batches of kombucha for years now, and I've spent many many of those batches in a quest to find my perfect recipe for ginger kombucha. In the end, you can't beat simplicity: super-fresh ginger in every bottle.

If you haven't yet tried overnight oats, you absolutely have to. This is a hearty and filling breakfast that isn't too heavy and that requires almost no preparation at all. You just soak equal parts oats and milk overnight, and in the morning, you have a cool bowl of plump oats waiting in the fridge.

I like to make a big batch of overnight oats at once and then layer them in jars with homemade jam, like my Blackberry Chia Jam, for easy grab-and-go breakfasts all week long. A sprinkle of coconut on top makes it feel like a treat.

For me, there's not much better than an ice-cold coffee on a hot summer day. One problem though: if you want to sweeten your coffee you only have a few options. Option one is to use sugar, which is hard to dissolve and can result in a pile of sugar gunk at the bottom of your glass. Option two is using a store-bought coffee syrup, but those tend to be cloyingly sweet and flavored with junk.

The hidden third option is to make your own syrup at home. This simple caramel syrup isn't that hard and will give your coffee a beautiful rich flavor.

Q: I canned some pureed strawberries, blueberries and raspberries, and cherries. I used lemon juice, a small amount of orange juice, a small amount of pectin, and a small amount of stevia. When the jars were finished, the meat of the fruit was at the top and the liquid was at the bottom. What am I missing here?

Q: Many years ago, I think in the early 90s, I made jam using nectarines that I cut up and set in the sun for a couple of hours. It was probably the easiest and best jam ever. Now I can't find the recipe/source and I tried Google, nothing. Can you help??